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Design  advertising  interior  architecture

Mid-Century Modern design began making its mark in the 1940’s and on through the 1980’s. It left its biggest impact, however, during the 1960’s and 1970’s when the world was going through drastic changes in terms freedom of expression, which could be seen and felt politically, socially, and culturally. While mid-century modern design may have made an impact in the 60s and 70s, it is...

When people think of the 1960s, they often picture a vivid series of images. Youth in rebellion. The first walk on the moon. Space age cartoons like The Jetsons. Hippies in tie-dye. Woodstock. Rock and roll — the Beatles, the Rolling Stones. Politics, protests and picketing. If the 1960s are associated with rebellion and the Space Age, they’re also associated with a specific home decor...

When it comes home design by decade, the 1970s get a lot of flak. How can you blame the bad-talkers when they remember things like disco balls and hot tubs in bedrooms? This reputation is a shame, though, because the 1970s also brought us a handful of fresh décor elements that feel much more real than ridiculous. In fact, the following five 1970s decor features...

Why do even the most standard Hotels and Motels look so much better in mid-century America? It would seem that generally they cared much more about the looks and aesthetics, and making the guest feel right at home. They were often themed and the color schemes could have been copied straight from a Eames chair. Large, buzzing, sometimes Googie inspired signs, advertising a plethora of...

In Wes Anderson’s latest masterpiece we embark on a journey into the last gasps of the aristocratic life and haute couture of eastern Europe in the late 1920s. This is not just a story of a eccentric Hotelier and his lobby-boy, but a journey into Anderson’s mind, including his trademark symmetrical design and perfected color schemes. The story of the Grand Budapest Hotel is set...

Apparently, there once were secret tunnels with direct access from underneath the Playboy Mansion in Hollywood to the basements of some of the crème de la crème actors of the 1970s and 1980s. Legendary “bad boy” Hollywood casanovas such as Jack Nicholson had his own direct access to Bunny haven. The tunnels were built around 1977, and as you can see in the diagrams, they...

Upstate New York was a far cry from Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill, where I had spent the last two years taking in the culture and politics of the Nation’s Capitol. But being the restless spirit that I was, I decided it was time to go back to school. Less than challenging and low paying jobs and a desire for something more propelled me to...

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Ultra Swank

Ultra Swank is a magazine styled blog that takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic, swank and camp living of the 1940s to the 1970s. We mostly focus on the design, style, and fashion of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is written by a dedicated team of time travelers from around the globe.